Caster



Patented Oct. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT .Y oFFlcl-z CASTER Vlada. Milich, Detroit, Mich. Application April 29, 1936, Serial No. l76,910

3 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a caster adapted for mounting on furniture, hand trucks, and the like and has for its object the provision of a caster which will be simple in structure, economical of manufactur durable and. highly elcient'in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a caster in which free swivelling of the traction member may be effected so that movement of the body on which the caster is to be mounted in either direction may be easily and quickly Another object of the invention is the provivsion of a caster so constructed and arranged that it may be very easily and quickly assembled and disassembled and the various parts removed individually.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a caster having a traction member mounted in a suitable frame, so arranged that the traction member and its supporting frame'may be removed from the supporting body as a unit.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by a reference to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of the invention with parts broken away and parts shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a slightly modified form of the invention with parts broken away and parts shown in section.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational View of the assembly p,

shown in Fig. 4 with parts broken away and parts shown in section.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a further modified form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a sectional View taken on line 1--1 of Fig. 6.

In the form shown in Fig. 1 I have indicated the caster as comprising a cup-shaped retainer 9 having the opening I0 formed in its base and provided, adjacent its open end, with the outwardly projecting lange I2. This retainer is adapted for insertion into the opening I3 formed in the supporting body I4 and the flange I2 engages against the face of this body I4 so that screws or other securing means may be projected through the flange into the body|4. The traction member comprises a ball shaped body I5 having the diametrically opposed trunnions I 6 positioned outwardly from opposite sides thereof. A circumferential groove Il is formed 5 in this body I5 and molded therein is a tirev or rim I8 formed from rubber or other suitableV sound-deadening material. I Aprovide a pair'of side plates I9, these side plates being substantial duplicates of each other and being providedwith l0 openings 2|) through which the trunnions I6 may project. Each of the plates is recessed as at 2|l 'on its inner face surrounding the opening 20 to provide with the shoulder 22 of the body I5 a` raceway for the ball bearings 23.' An annular 15 member 24 is provided with axially directed grooves 25 on its inner face in which the ends of the side plates' I9 engage. Each of these side plates. is provided at opposite ends with an outwardly projecting tongue 26 which overlies and 20 engages against the undersurface of the ring 24, Vas clearly 'shown in Fig. 2. The inner face of the ring 24 at its circumference is cut away as at. 2l and seated in this recess is a ring 28 having the outwardly projecting flange 29 to form with 25 the base II of the retainer a raceway for the balls 3U. Threaded into the open end of the cup-shaped retainer is the locking ring 3| which engages against the tongues 26 and serves to retain the flange 29 in position to press the balls 30 39 against the inner surface of the base II. It will thus be noted that the traction member or body I5 is rotatable on the balls 23 so that the ring 24 carrying with it the traction member is rotatable on the balls 30.

To assemble the deviceV is a very simple operation which is believed obvious from the description given. Upon removal of the retainer 9 from the supporting body I4, the cup-shaped retainer 9 may be inverted from the position shown in 4o Fig. 2. Upon removing the locking ring 3|, the side plates carrying with them the traction member may be lifted out of the grooves in the ring 24.

A caster formed in this manner has been 45 proven most durable in construction and eicient in operation in that a maximum freedom of the traction member is afforded.

In the form shown in Fig. 4, the construction is the same as that shown in Figs; 1, 2 and 3 50 excepting that the trunnions I6', which correspond to the trunnions I6 in Fig. 1, are provided with a circumferential groove 32 in which the balls 23', corresponding to the balls 23, engage so that therecessing shown at 2| in Fig. 3 is 55 feo eliminated in the side plates which are used in the form shown in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 I have shown a simplied type of structure in which the ring 24'is eliminated. In this form the side plates I9 are embraced at their outer ends by the rings 33 and 34 which are welded thereto, so that these side plates I9 are retained in position on the trunnions I6. The upper ring 33 engages the balls 34 and the cup-shaped retainer 9 provided with the outwardly projecting ange I2' is crimped as at 35 around the lower ring 34 to lock the parts in position. In this type of construction a light device is provided, while the desired durability is still present as the device may, if desired, be made from stampings.

It will be noted that in all of the forms the traction member and side plates are assembled as a unit together and may be inserted as a unit in the retainer with which the same are to be used, thus obviating the losing of the balls which might otherwise result were the side plates to be removed from the trunnions.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction, I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details of structure shown, but desire to avail myself of such modications and Variations as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A caster of the class described, comprising: a hollow retainer adapted for mounting on a supporting body; an annular traction member; trunnion forming members fixed on and projecting outwardly from opposite sides of said traction member; a pair of separate side plates, each of said side plates having an opening formed therein for the reception of one of said trunnion forming members; an annular member surrounding said plates and secured thereto, said annular member being adapted for reception into said retainer; and means on said retainer for retaining said annular member inserted therein.

2. A caster of the class described, comprising: a hollow retainer; an annular traction member; a pair of trunnion forming members, each xed relatively to and projecting outwardly from one side of said traction member diametrically thereof a pair of separate side plates, each having an opening for the reception of one of said trunnions; al plurality of anti-friction members positioned between each of said trunnions and the plate through which projected; means cooperating with said side plates and said trunnions for retaining said anti-friction members in position; an annular member surrounding said plates and secured to each of the same at the opposite ends thereof for connecting said plates together and retaining the same in position on said trunnions, said annular member and said plates being insertable into said retainer; and means on said retainer for retaining said annular member and said plates inserted in said retainer.

3. A caster of the class described, comprising: a hollow retainer; an annular traction member; a pair of trunnion forming members, each projecting outwardly from one side of and fixed relatively to said traction member, diametrically thereof; a pair of separate side plates, each of said plates having an opening formed therein for the reception of a trunnion forming member; a separate annular member surrounding said plates and secured to each of said plates, adjacent their ends, for connecting said plates together and retaining the same vin position on said trunnion forming members, said annular member and said plates being insertable into said retainer; and a member projecting radially inwardly of said retainer, adjacent one end, for retaining said annular member and said plates positioned therein.

VLADA MILICH. 

